A multicenter evaluation of pediatric emergency department injury visits during the COVID-19 pandemic.

BACKGROUND: Injuries, the leading cause of death in children 1-17 years old, are often preventable. Injury patterns are impacted by changes in the child's environment, shifts in supervision, and caregiver stressors. The objective of this study was to evaluate the incidence and proportion of injuries, mechanisms, and severity seen in Pediatric Emergency Departments (PEDs) during the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: This multicenter, cross-sectional study from January 2019 through December 2020 examined visits to 40 PEDs for children < 18 years old. Injury was defined by at least one International Classification of Disease-10th revision (ICD-10) code for bodily injury (S00-T78). The main study outcomes were total and proportion of PED injury-related visits compared to all visits in March through December 2020 and to the same months in 2019. Weekly injury visits as a percentage of total PED visits were calculated for all weeks between January 2019 and December 2020. RESULTS: The study included 741,418 PED visits for injuries pre-COVID-19 pandemic (2019) and during the COVID-19 pandemic (2020). Overall PED visits from all causes decreased 27.4% in March to December 2020 compared to the same time frame in 2019; however, the proportion of injury-related PED visits in 2020 increased by 37.7%. In 2020, injured children were younger (median age 6.31 years vs 7.31 in 2019), more commonly White (54% vs 50%, p < 0.001), non-Hispanic (72% vs 69%, p < 0.001) and had private insurance (35% vs 32%, p < 0.001). Injury hospitalizations increased 2.2% (p < 0.001) and deaths increased 0.03% (p < 0.001) in 2020 compared to 2019. Mean injury severity score increased (2.2 to 2.4, p < 0.001) between 2019 and 2020. Injuries declined for struck by/against (- 4.9%) and overexertion (- 1.2%) mechanisms. Injuries proportionally increased for pedal cycles (2.8%), cut/pierce (1.5%), motor vehicle occupant (0.9%), other transportation (0.6%), fire/burn (0.5%) and firearms (0.3%) compared to all injuries in 2020 versus 2019. CONCLUSIONS: The proportion of PED injury-related visits in March through December 2020 increased compared to the same months in 2019. Racial and payor differences were noted. Mechanisms of injury seen in the PED during 2020 changed compared to 2019, and this can inform injury prevention initiatives.

Establishing a Permanent Food Pantry in a Pediatric Emergency Department.

Childhood food insecurity is associated with adverse health outcomes. Food pantries housed within healthcare facilities have the potential to reduce childhood food insecurity. An interdisciplinary team established a permanent food pantry in the pediatric emergency department of a metropolitan children's hospital. Members of the team included attending and resident physicians, nurse practitioners, nurses, patient care technicians, a volunteer coordinator, Prevention and Wellness staff, and environmental services staff. The development process, formative evaluation, and impact of the pantry during the first 15 months of use is described. Families presenting to the emergency department were notified of the food pantry and offered a bag of groceries. Data collected included number of adult and children in the household, age ranges of family members, and whether food was accepted. The food pantry provided aid to 2199 households from January 2021 to April 2022. Recipients of food assistance included 4698 children, 3565 adults, and 140 seniors. In addition, the interdisciplinary approach to the development process elucidated barriers to and facilitators of the project's success, thereby maximizing the food assistance outcome.

Impact of Rapid Testing for Gonorrhea and Chlamydia in an Urban Pediatric Emergency Department.

PURPOSE: To determine the impact of rapid testing for gonorrhea (NG) and chlamydia (CT) on accuracy of treatment in adolescents in the pediatric emergency department (ED). METHODS: Retrospective study of adolescents tested for NG and CT in the pediatric ED before and after implementation of rapid testing. Treatment during initial visit, availability of test results prior to discharge, and number of follow-up phone calls made with test results were compared. Appropriate treatment was defined per Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 2015 guidelines as monotherapy for CT and dual therapy for NG. Descriptive statistics were used to compare groups. RESULTS: Rapid testing improved treatment accuracy with 522 (79.3%) patients treated appropriately in the rapid testing group compared to 478 (64.7%) patients in the batched testing group (p < .001). Inaccurate treatment was more common in the batch testing group among those who tested negative (p < .001). Among those who tested positive for NG and/or CT, phone calls were made to 54 (47.8%) patients in the rapid testing group and 129 (84.3%) patients in the batched testing group to discuss positive test results (p < .001). CONCLUSION: Compared to batched testing, rapid testing is associated with improved accuracy of treatment of NG and CT in the pediatric ED setting. Additionally, rapid testing is associated with decreased number of phone calls to discuss positive test results.

Severe unintentional injuries sustained by Ohio children: Is there urban/rural variation?

BACKGROUND: Determining at risk populations is essential to developing interventions that prevent injuries. This study examined the rates of severe unintentional injuries among urban versus rural Ohio children. METHODS: Demographic and injury data for children 0 to 14 years old who had unintentional injuries from January 1, 2003, to December 31, 2012, were extracted retrospectively from the Ohio Trauma Acute Care Registry. Cases with no designated county were excluded. Injury rates per 100,000 children 14 years or younger were calculated annually using county of residence and US census data. Each county was assigned an urbanization level based on population density (A = most urban, D = most rural). RESULTS: There were 40,625 patients from 88 Ohio counties who met the inclusion criteria; the overall annual injury rate was 231.9. The mean age was 6.7 (SD, 4.5) years; 26,035 (64.1%) were male, and 31,468 (77.5%) were white. There were 593 deaths (1.5%). Injury rates by urbanization level were as follows: A: 120.4, B: 196.8, C: 249.1, and D: 247.4 (p = 0.04). Nearly 50% of all deaths occurred in the most urban counties. Those in the most urban areas were more likely to suffer injury from burns, drownings, and suffocations and less likely to be injured by animal bites or motorized vehicle collisions (p < 0.001). Length of stay and injury severity score were highest in the most urban children (p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: While rural counties experienced higher injury rates, urban areas suffered more severe injuries. Specific mechanisms of injury differed by demographics and urbanization in Ohio, suggesting areas for targeted injury prevention. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Epidemiologic study, level III.

High School Football Players' Knowledge and Attitudes About Concussions.

OBJECTIVES: To assess high school (HS) football players' knowledge of concussions and to determine whether increased knowledge is correlated with better attitudes toward reporting concussion symptoms and abstaining from play. DESIGN: Two survey tools were used to assess athletes' knowledge and attitudes about concussions. Surveys collected information about demographics, knowledge about concussions, and attitudes about playing sports after a concussion. All athletes present completed one of the 2 surveys. A knowledge and attitude score for each survey was calculated. Frequencies and mean values were used to characterize the population; regression analysis, analysis of variance, and t tests were used to look for associations. SETTING: A football camp for HS athletes in the Cincinnati area. PARTICIPANTS: Male HS football players from competitive football programs in the Cincinnati area. INTERVENTION: None. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Scores on knowledge and attitude sections; responses to individual questions. RESULTS: One hundred twenty (100%) athletes were enrolled although not every athlete responded to every question. Thirty (25%) reported history of a concussion; 82 (70%) reported receiving prior concussion education. More than 75% correctly recognized all concussion symptoms that were asked, except "feeling in a fog" [n = 63 (53%)]. One hundred nine (92%) recognized a risk of serious injury if they return to play too quickly. Sixty-four (54%) athletes would report symptoms of a concussion to their coach; 62 (53%) would continue to play with a headache from an injury. There was no association between knowledge score and attitude score (P = 0.08). CONCLUSIONS: Despite having knowledge about the symptoms and danger of concussions, many HS football athletes in our sample did not have a positive attitude toward reporting symptoms or abstaining from play after a concussion. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Physicians should be aware that young athletes may not report concussion symptoms.

Intentional injuries in young Ohio children: is there urban/rural variation?

BACKGROUND: Intentional injuries are the third leading cause of death in children 1 year to 4 years of age. The epidemiology of these injuries based on urban/rural geography and economic variables has not been clearly established. The study purposes are (1) to determine the rate of severe intentional injuries in children younger than 5 years in urban versus rural Ohio counties and (2) to determine if poverty within counties is associated with intentional injury rate. METHODS: Demographic and injury data on children younger than 5 years who experienced intentional injuries, from January 1, 2003, to December 31, 2011, were extracted retrospectively from the Ohio Trauma Acute Care Registry. We calculated injury rates using the county of residence and US census data. We assigned each county to an urbanization level based on population density (A, most urban; D, most rural). Mean income and percentage of families with children younger than 5 years living below poverty in Ohio counties were obtained from the US census. Rates are per 100,000 children younger than 5 years per year. RESULTS: A total of 984 patients were included; the overall injury rate was 15.9. The mean age was 0.66 years (SD, 1.02 years); 583 (59.2%) were male and 655 (66.6%) were white. One hundred twenty-nine (13.1%) died. Injury rates by urbanization level were as follows: A, 16.5; B, 10.7; C, 18.7; and D, 15.2 (p = 0.285). There were significant associations between county injury rate and mean income (p = 0.05) and percentage of families with children younger than 5 years living below poverty (p = 0.04). CONCLUSION: We found no association between intentional injury rate and urbanization level in young Ohio children. However, we did find an association between county mean income and percentage of families living below poverty, with intentional injury rate suggesting that financial hardship may be an important risk factor of these injuries.

An atypical presentation of atypical Kawasaki disease.

Kawasaki disease (KD) is a well-known inflammatory disorder that, despite its classic description, can pose a diagnostic challenge. We report a case of a 3-year-old girl who presented to the emergency department with a limp and urinary incontinence who was ultimately diagnosed with KD. She was found to have a large coronary artery aneurysm on echocardiogram. We discuss the challenges in diagnosing incomplete KD.